Resurrection. Homebuilders Bible Class April 12, 2009 Brian Shrock. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 1

Transcription

1 Resurrection Homebuilders Bible Class April 12, 2009 Brian Shrock 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 1

2 Introductory Material Comments on marriage: [Pray] Shared a synopsis of my struggle and transformation to provide hope and encouragement, and resolve, and to let you know about someone who has been through feelings on both sides and who is available to talk. Love isn't earned. It is learned. Love is not about the other person, and what they're doing or not doing, it's about you. Feb 15, John Scott shared a quote Marriage is not so much about finding the right person as being the right person. From the movie Fireproof: Don't just follow your heart, lead your heart. It is a privilege and a blessing to you tell your spouse, I love you. (Thanks to Artie Melton for this realization.) When you learn these kinds of lessons, you will find life in yourself and in your marriage. I signed up to teach simply by choosing topics happened to be E sters and holidays. What Do You Know? (See this on separate presentation.) 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 2

3 Resurrection Intro Today is Easter Sunday and coincidentally we're talking about Resurrection. This time will be a more leisurely pace (less material, more time) and a more interactive class. Hopefully it will still bring to you something you haven't seen before, or a new way of seeing what you have. Reminder that we have been conditioned to see things certain ways, and the way we want to see them. A.W. Tozier How tragic that our seeking has been done for us by our teachers. Robert Frost, I am not a teacher, but an awakener. Awake and seek. This is the Christ in Creation series. The resurrection is in a sense, the recreation. Our entire way of life, our reason for being here, hinges on the resurrection. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 3

4 Resurrection Questions When you think about resurrection, what comes to mind? What does it mean to you? [Jesus is always the right answer!] What examples of resurrection come to mind? [See later charts.] 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 4

5 Resurrection Questions Who (with God's help) performed resurrections? Elijah widow's son. Elisha son of Shunammite couple. Elisha's bones man thrown in tomb. Ezekiel the vast arm of dry bones. Jesus at least two Lazarus and widow's son in coffin. Peter Tabitha / Dorcas. Paul Eutychus. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 5

6 Resurrection Questions Who was resurrected? Isaac, figuratively Widow's son (Elijah) Son of the Shunammite couple (Elisha) Dead man thrown in tomb (Elisha's bones) A vast army (Ezekiel) Centurion's servant (a near resurrection, Jesus) Lazarus (Jesus) Jesus Many holy people (at Jesus' crucifixion) Tabitha/Dorcas (Peter) Eutychus (by Paul, who preached him to death.) 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 6

7 Resurrection Examples 1 Kings 17:17-22 Elijah/God raise the widow's son. 2 Kings 4:19-36 Elisha/God raises the son of a Shunammite couple. 2 Kings 13:21 Man thrown into Elisha's tomb. Ezekiel 37: Dry Bones resurrected. Matt 27:52 Many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Matt 28 and others: Jesus. Mark 6:14 "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead" ** Claim. Luke 7:1-10 Centurion's servant saved from death (resurrected from sickness) Luke 7:11-15 Jesus raises widow's son (who was in a coffin). John 12:17 Lazarus raised from the dead by Jesus. Acts 20:7-12 Eutychus raised by Paul Acts 9:4 Tabitha/Dorcas raised by Peter. Hebrews 11:17-19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. (Perhaps first recorded belief/thought of resurrection in Bible) Hebrews 11:35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 7

8 Resurrection Questions What other kinds of resurrection are there? Resurrection of hope Resurrection of health Resurrection of relationship Resurrection of faith Resurrection of items Nehemiah resurrected the wall. 2 Kings 6:5-6 Elisha resurrected an axhead. (Elisha) What resurrections have you experienced? (In a sense, during the past two years, I was the walking dead. Comparatively, now I'm living the fantasy life... resurrection.) (For 15 years my brother and I didn't talk. Now we call and/or visit each other regularly.) 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 8

9 Resurrection Principles Stormie O'Martian, Power of Praying Husband: You have to be willing to let your dreams die. God will resurrect the ones that are from Him. Matt 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What we try to resurrect / dig up, often isn't good for us. What we try to bury often needs brought to the light. What we try to keep alive often needs buried. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 9

10 Resurrection of Hope Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will LIVE, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.' 2 Cor 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: Resurrected hope for the Jews that were set to be slaughtered in Xerxe's kingdom. Resurrected Joseph from slavery and prison, and thus hope of surviving a famine. The resurrection of hope may be the most significant of all. The story of the dry bones shows us how hopeless it can look and how far gone it came seem we are. When everything is dried up, when all that is left is a prison of despair, God can bring us back from our graves and give us LIFE! 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 10

11 Lessons / Observations God is in the resurrection business. Perhaps the greatest resurrection is hope. Resurrection = restoration We needed resurrection from the moment we chose knowledge over God, from the moment we divorced Him in favor of our own independence. The year of Jubilee, once every 50 years, was a year of restoration, a year of liberty, following the year of forgiveness (every 7 years). The resurrection makes every year every moment a year of Jubilee for us. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 11

12 Lessons / Observations LIVE the resurrection. John 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. That's now, otherwise there's no reason to add the more abundantly clause. Eternal life is now. Anything else is like eating crackers on a cruise. We're on board, ticket paid, great destination assured. But are we stuck in our cabin eating crumbs when there are feasts and parties and life available, also included in the price of the ticket bought for us by Jesus? (What keeps us in the room?) It's all about resurrection; it's about LIFE. Our response/purpose is not to live for God, but to LIVE for God! This is the good news. LIFE. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 12

13 Lessons / Observations Be Ezekiel for others. Let them know that resurrection is ahead. Ezekiel 37:12. I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, Be Elijah, Elisha, Peter, Paul, and Nehemiah, and help resurrect others, through encouragement and bringing/sharing life and Spirit. This doesn't require doing (though it can be accomplished that way), but happens automatically through being/living. [Examples: Dave Davy, Cindy McCullom] 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 13

14 Lessons / Observations Abraham dreamed of having a son. God asked him to kill his own dream. What is your Isaac? What might come between you and God? Are you willing to let go and sacrifice, to let die your dream and have faith in God's resurrection power? What we refuse to give up, kills us (our own sinful ways, rich young ruler, pharisees). What we kill, God uses for our salvation (our own sinful ways, and even Jesus). Seeds die to be resurrected as magnificent trees. Let the seeds fall. Let go of the puny stuff that can fit in our hands and God will make something wondrous. Caterpillars die and are resurrected as butterflies. We too emerge from our cocoons of pain and trial and transformation to soar in beauty and life. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 14

15 So What? What does this mean to you? What made a difference today? What do you need to kill or let die/let go in your life? Pride? Idols? The dime store treasure? (See story about Jenny and the fake pearls) What do you need to resurrect? Gratitude? Compassion? Kindness? Challenge: We can always find something to upset us or ruin our day. Instead, every day look for something to make your day. Look for something wonderful. LIVE the resurrection. 04/20/09 Homebuilders, Brian Shrock 15